An idea sometimes becomes so imbedded
in our minds, so much a part
of ourselves, as that we can scarcely
part with it.
Yet how many of our
ideas we have found it necessary to
modify, the reason doubtless being
that now we see as through a smoked
glass, dimly.
To very many it becomes
a trial to have a long-cherished
theory interfered with; but to all who
have the childlike spirit of Christ,
viz.: a readiness to take the Father's
word unhesitatingly (not man's word),
to such there is no trouble, for they
say: I know nothing at all on the
subject, and if I have received an
idea unsupported by God's word I
don't want it.
I want truth, not my
own ideas; give me truth, no matter
what idol it may overthrow.

To such only, we have a word to
say touching the long-cherished idea,
that some of those now living would
never die a physical death.
We
want to say to you that the Scriptures
upon which that idea has been
based, when critically considered to
not (in our judgment) support the
thought; and other Scriptures seem
to teach positively that all who will
be members of the bodyChrist,
must like their head, example, forerunner,
die physically.
Carefully examine
the subject in the light of the
following remarks on texts usually
regarded as the basis of the idea
that we will be exempted from physical
death, and should you find any
other texts which you consider evidence
of the old idea, please inform
us.

In 1 Thes. 4:15,17, we readThat we which are alive and remain
unto the coming (parousiapresence) of the Lord shall not prevent
[hinder] them which are asleep.
For
the Lord...shall descend...and the dead in Christ shall rise
first: Then we which are alive and
remain shall be caught up together
[or also] with [or to] them, &c."

Now we do not claim that anything
here mentioned, indicates that
the saints who remain over to this
time of the Lord's presence will die; but we do claim that nothing in this
text teaches that their human bodies
will not die.
This Scripture does not
mention what change they will undergo
before being joined to the
Lord; in fact the change is not mentioned
here at all.
But the same
apostle elsewhere informs us that a change must take place, because
"flesh and blood" cannot inherit the
kingdom of Godwe must all be "changed" to spiritual bodies.

Let us next look at 1 Cor. 15:51,
for it mentions the change particularly,
and let us notice carefully
whether Paul says we shall be
changed without dying, as we have
always supposed he does.
We read:
"Behold I show you a mystery; we
shall not all sleep but we shall all be
changed.
In a moment, in the twinkling
of an eye;...the dead shall
be raised incorruptible and we shall
be changed." We received our impression that our earthly body would
not die, from the above statement regarding sleep, but who cannot see
that the human body might be dissolved
and we the new creatures be
delivered from it and so quickly
clothed upon with our spiritual body,
that not a moment for sleep would
intervene.
If time should intervene
between the dissolution of our earthly
house (human nature) and the receiving
of our spiritual body we
should be obliged to sleep, as the
Apostles and "all who sleep in Jesus."
But that sleep has always been an
undesirable thing; therefore with the
apostle we can say that we are anxious,
not to be unclothed (asleep without
either human or spiritual body)
but we prefer if the will of God be
such, that we should be of the class
alive when the Lord has come, so
that instead of being even for a moment
in the unclothed (or sleep) condition,
we might be clothed upon, or
receive that spiritual at the same moment
we part with the old human
house.
And this in substance Paul
here statesall will not sleep for to
some the change will be in a moment,
in an eye twinkling.

One thing is sure, we must leave
the flesh sometime, and whenever or
however it may be, it will be the death or dissolution and end of the
human to all who become full recipients
of the divine.

Now notice the words of Jesus,
concerning John.
John, we have
long since seen to be a type or representative
of the last part of the
churchthose who are alive and remain
unto the presence of the Lord
and who shall be changed.
Jesus
said of our representative, John: "If
I will that he tarry till I come what is
that to thee," Peter?
Then went that
saying abroad among the disciples,
that that disciple should not die; howbeit Jesus said not that he should
not die but, if I will that he tarry till
I come," &c. (John 21:22.)
Just
so, dear brethren, it has been with
the company typified by John; the
saying has gone abroad and has been
generally received that this part of
the church will not die: Howbeit
when we examine the evidences, we
find that neither Jesus nor the apostles
said we should not die, but that
we would tarry till the Master's presence
and be changed in a moment
and not sleep.

Now notice the positive teaching
that all of "the body" will die and
then mark the necessity of death.
It was no less an authority than Paul
who said: If we be dead with him
we shall also live with him; and if
we have been planted in the likeness
of his death, we shall be also in the
likeness of his resurrectiondesiring
therefore to be made conformable
unto his death.

Does some one object that these
words are applicable to the daily life
of Paul and of us and suggest that
we are to be "living sacrifices."
Very
true, so we have taught and so we
still believe, but while our dying
commences at our consecration, it
does not end there.
As in the case
of our "Captain," it does not end
until the human is dead.
While we
begin, as "living sacrifices," yet
when the sacrifice is finished, all that
is human is dead. The thing that
dies at once, is the human will, and
when this is accomplished we reckon ourselves dead; but the death actually
is in progress day by day until
the sacrifice is complete.
We cannot
receive the spiritual mind unless we
surrender the human mind or will, so
also we cannot receive our spiritual
body unless the earthly body is surrendered.
Remember that Jesus said
to all the churches: "Be thou faithful
unto death and I will give thee a
crown of life."

Now as we have seen that in Jesus'
case, the human was surrendered to
death forever, (He was "put to death
in the flesh but quickened in spirit"),
and that had he taken back the human
nature it would have been taking
back our ransom price, so we
have seen that it is a privilege granted
to us as his body, to fill up that
which is behind of the afflictions of
Christto share in the world's redemption,
with him who loved us
and bought us with his own precious
bloodto suffer with him, being made
conformable unto his death. In a
word, if Jesus must needs be obedient even unto death, and if he says to us:
"Be thou faithful unto death," who
shall say that the dissolution or death
of the human being is not necessary?

Well, says one, then you are not
now expecting translation, but death.
No, we reply, we as new creatures
who are living in this favored time of
the Lord's presence expect to be
translatedor changed to our own
spiritual condition, but we expect the
change to take place at the moment
of the death of the "earthen vessel"we will not be obliged to sleep as
did the new creature Paul and others,
but will be "changed in a moment."

We believe that translation in this
manner is now due, and shall not be
surprised to hear of some going thus
beyond the second vail into the
"Most Holy" conditionthe perfect
spiritual.

We are on the race course for life,
and must be faithful unto death if we
would receive the Crown of Life.
"Whosoever shall seek to save his
life shall lose it, and whosoever shall
lose his life shall preserve it."
(Luke 17:33.)